


Murdock Boys

by IsisKitsune



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Avocados at Law, Best Friends, Bisexuality, Child Abandonment, Drinking & Talking, Friends to Lovers, Human Disaster Matt Murdock, Identity Reveal, M/M, Matt Murdock Needs a Hug, Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson at Columbia, Minor Foggy Nelson/Marci Stahl, Minor Injuries, Mutants, Post Season 3, Postpartum Depression, Reveal, Secrets, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Wings, improper binding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:14:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22745380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsisKitsune/pseuds/IsisKitsune
Summary: Matt's been keeping secrets his whole life... His senses, his training, his feelings. For years he'd been hiding everything about himself, and just being "Matt Murdock", blind kid from Hell's Kitchen that wanted to be a lawyer... Just normal, Matt Murdock. Even if it put him in constant pain to just be 'normal'.
Relationships: Matt Murdock & Franklin "Foggy" Nelson & Karen Page, Matt Murdock/Franklin "Foggy" Nelson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 112





	Murdock Boys

She couldn't do it, she couldn't, no matter how much her mind told her it was wrong, it wasn't... it wasn't her baby, it was just some... monster, she couldn't bring herself to do it. “It's okay, come on,” the voice she'd fallen in love with, the one that pulled her, seduced her? No, she made her choice, she went willingly, pulled at her arm, guiding her back to the loving arms of her sisters. “It's gonna be okay, it's not your fault. It's okay, I'll take care of him, I promise.”

“Don't, don't hurt...” she couldn't say it, no matter what, she may have bore that... but she couldn't stand to see it hurt.

“Mom tried to warn you.” She couldn't stop crying as her sisters lead her away. _Be careful of the Murdock boys. They got the devil in 'em..._

A baby started crying, “Shhh, it's alright Matty, hey now, careful with those, I ain't got the learnin' to fix those if you break somethin'.” Jack smiled as a little tail wrapped his arm while he carefully tucked little leathery wings against a tiny back, “I'm so sorry, Matty, I thought it'd skip you too.”

-

College years

Foggy was... he was something else. He was loud, spontaneous, but not in the irritating way, more in the “Matt, come on, drinks 2 floors down, come on man, I'm broke and we ain't gonna get another beer until after midterms” relaxed kind of way. Just, wanting to bring his buddy along, help the normally quiet and solemn guy out of his shell. Never really in a pushy way, it always left Matt smiling and shaking his head even as he grabbed his cane and mumbling “Alright, lead the way” along with Foggy's shout of “Onward! To the booze!”

Matt sat upright at the shout of, “Mother- Goddamnit!”

“Foggy, don't blaspheme.”

“Dude I think I just broke my toe. Shit what the fuck did I kick?”

Matt waved a hand like 'how the fuck should I know?' before reaching over to click on the light. “Did you forget you put that damn trunk at the end of your bed?”

Foggy groaned, “Right, the one dad sent home with me after the weekend visit. Ow, seriously I think I broke something.”

Matt grumbled as he grabbed his cane, sweeping it until he could get a lock on how far Foggy had kicked the damn thing and wincing at how far away from the bed it now was. “I'll move it back, just sit down.”

“Shit, Matt, I'm bleeding-”

“Close your eyes, Foggy, you know how you are around blood.”

“Not helping,” Foggy whined as he grabbed something, soft, the little shit had said they were out of tissue when Matt couldn't keep his nose from running after Marci had came over smelling of that horrid over flowery shit that just triggered sneezing. “Seriously, feeling kinda dizzy.”

Matt grunted as he pushed the damn trunk back before circling to reach out and grab at the box beside Foggy's bed, “I thought you said we were out of tissues?”

Foggy actually flailed so hard, Matt grumbled and shifted back, “I picked some up yesterday, alright, sorry I didn't update you on the tissue supply.”

Matt shook his head, “Sorry, just, groggy, grumpy and dealing with a wounded friend, give me your foot.”

“Ow owowowow!”

“Stop whining, I didn't even move it,” Matt grumbled as he started at the middle of Foggy's foot, carefully listening and wincing as he moved upward, “You Nelsons are thin blooded. Might wanna get that checked out.”

Foggy whined, “Ow! Matt, easy!”

Matt listened and carefully ran his fingers under the toes, “You're bleeding from here, just, put pressure on that. Kinda feels like a a paper cut I bet, just, stinging?”

“Oh there's stinging alright. Easy!”

Matt winced as Foggy automatically flexed his toes, gripping the tissue he pressed against the wound on reflex, “Good news, full movement, probably just a stress tear. You over extended the skin under your toe is all.”

“Still hurts.”

“Well it's going to, don't tell me this is honestly the first time you've stubbed your toe.”

Foggy whined, “Ugh, I don't wanna go to the ER...”

Matt sighed, “You don't have to, it's not broken, hold on, I”ll get my kit.”

“Accident prone Murdock, is at least prepared.”

“Next time, don't walk around in the dark, Foggy, it's not like it's going to bother me to have a light on.”

“Dude, I got... so many siblings. I keep forgetting, alright?”

“Mhm, sure sure. This is gonna sting.”

“Mother fucker,” Foggy would have screamed if he hadn't already had his face shoved into a pillow. “Damnit, Matt, a little more warning than that please?!”

“I'm going to wrap your toe, it'll help limit the movement and hopefully keep walking pain to a minimum and help keep the wound sealed, unless you'd rather risk nail glue or something. Pretty sure Marci would love to donate.”

Foggy whined, “That shit is rank, hell no.”

“I thought not, hold still.”

“I might need your help later. Is it assault if I throw that thing at someone?”

Matt snorted, “Yep, at least if it's on purpose, might have a case of accidental injury if it was an actual accident.”

Foggy finally got back on his feet, grumbling and wincing but mobile, “Fuck, still hurts.”

“It's an injury, Foggy, of course it still hurts.” Matt cleaned up and winced at the smell of blood, “I'll help you rewrap it tomorrow after a shower, just try to get some sleep.”

Foggy groaned, “Great, there's blood on the floor...”

“I'll, I'll deal with that, get some rest.”

“Look, buddy, this is all my fault, I'm at least helping you clean up.”

Matt finally sighed as he grabbed his cleaning supplies, “Alright, just, use these please? Easier on my nose and I don't feel like sleeping with the windows open.”

“Dude, after the Marci thing ain't nothing gettin' in here without you clearing it.”

Matt smiled, “Thanks buddy.”

Foggy caught him wincing as he knelt down to start wiping up the area, “Hey, buddy, everything alright?”

Matt shook his head, “Just, catch in my back,” he grinned, “Probably from moving this heavy ass thing.”

Foggy had to be glaring at the trunk as Matt reached out to find the corner to start wiping it down, “Buddy, you're getting bloody finger prints everywhere, let me.”

“I got it, Foggy, it'll be spotless. I promise.”

Foggy grumbled, “I at least owe you a back massage after dealing with all this...”

Matt winced, “Pass.”

Foggy pouted, “But, haven't you heard? I give the best back massages!”

Matt smirked, “Why do you think I passed? I heard about how you and Marci ended up together.”

“I will have you know, Murdock, I am a one partner kinda man.”

Matt laughed, “I know, Foggy, I know.”

-

Matt couldn't sleep, couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep, and couldn't find that blessed exhaustion point of just dropping into oblivion... He'd been trying for nearly two days. “I think I'mma stay here and deal with this migraine,” was the only excuse he could offer. It must have worked, Foggy had walked over to him while he was sprawled over his bed, making Matt flinch when he tried to press his hand against his forehead, “I'm not running a fever, Foggy,” total lie, he could feel it creeping up. Starting in his spine, an injured feeling, heating up as it attempts to heal. “I'mma just, try to conk out for awhile.”

“I'll make sure to take your recorder with me, I'll email you the notes after I get them down.”

“You're the best, buddy.” Matt nearly missed the sound of the door shutting as Foggy headed for class while Matt laid there staring at the ceiling, at least the last direction he remembered turning his eyes to was straight ahead, trying to either sleep or wait out the time it would take Foggy to get to class in case he'd forgotten something.

He tried to wait, but after ten minutes, he winced as he sat up, just lifting his arms to get his sleep shirt over his head made his back scream in pain as he got it off and started tearing at the binding around his chest. He was supposed to let them rest, stretch, every few hours... he hadn't been able to do that. He'd been stuck claiming a nightcap at someone's, hiding himself away for the night to rest them and work the pain out of them and his spine. After months of it, he was in so much pain once he'd gotten them unbound, he couldn't stretch... He was stuck trying not to cry, hunched, still feeling the binding around them even as it lay unwound around his waist. He had to stretch them, the pain wouldn't go away if he didn't...

Circulation started returning, that didn't help in the least, his pulse pounding in his back so hard he didn't know how or when his heart moved but now it just brought harsher pulsating pain with every beat. “Matt, buddy, you ain't gonna believe this-”

Matt yelped, “Foggy,” the moment he heard the steps, focusing on them so hard he could hear the shift in the carpet as they pivoted.

“Matt, oh my god,” he winced against the door slamming and thudding as Foggy rushed to kneel next to his bed, “What happened?”

The shaking wasn't helping, it was just adding to the pain, “They, they were hurting, I had to let them out.”

Foggy caught his shoulder, a flat palm against it, “No, no, don't lay back, lay forward, on your stomach, oh my god, Matt, how long have you had them bound?”

Matt flinched, feeling the pain spike as a spasm ran through his back, “Week?”

“Matt, why, okay, yeah, I can kinda see why you wouldn't tell me, or- you're Catholic, of course- you can't just, bind them and think they'll go away. Easy, there you go, no don't raise your arms yet, just, yeah, there you go.” Foggy helped him rest on his front, with his arms at his sides. “God, those look- fuck, don't do this to yourself again okay? Fuck, I'm gonna have to get a doctor.”

Matt flinched, “No doctors, please, no doctors, no hospitals.”

“Matt, do you know what- what color they're supposed to be?”

“Red, they were a dark red, the kind that looks black if the light doesn't hit it.”

“Right now, all they are is black and blue, and they're, how long have you been doing this?”

Matt flinched at the touch on his arm, “I've, unless I was home, I always bound them.”

Foggy mumbled and paced, “Can, are you able to stand someone touching them? They're, extremely stunted from the look of it. They're... emaciated comes to mind.”

Matt winced as he chuckled, “So, I'm not the first one you've seen?”

“With wings? No... long story, anyway, but I can tell there's no way yours were meant to be this small.”

“I was born with them, well not just them, but yeah. I, I had to start full time binding after- dad.”

Foggy brushed his lower back, being very careful not to touch the curled wing but it was still enough to make him flinch, “Yeah, that- that looks about right for a 10 year old. Shit, Matt, your binding has been- I can't just, you can't keep doing that to yourself. It's already stunted your wing growth.”

“Good,” Matt couldn't help but mumble, “Shouldn't have them in the first place.”

Foggy made a noise Matt had never heard before as he paced and rubbed at his eyes, “Can you- can you move them or has that been royally fucked too?”

“If I couldn't I would have already had them removed,” Matt admitted, “That and the bones and nerves intertwined in them...”

“Matt, can you stretch them?”

Matt's chest tightened as he shifted underused muscles, “Ow,” he whined when they lifted only to drop back down onto him.

Foggy wanted to say something, do something, Matt could tell when he kept approaching then stomping away. “Can I- can I help?”

Matt shook his head, growling when the spasm started, just under his right scapula causing his wing to twitch painfully when it kept up, “Fuck.”

Foggy actually whined, reaching out and giving the wing something other than Matt's back to rest on, “Hold on, I'm going to help get that relax.”

Matt flinched, tensing when his palm rested against the twitching muscles before he got to sooth them. “Thanks.”

“Like it or not Murdock, I'm going to help you get your back to relax and you are stretching these proper, and no more of that 24 hour binding bullshit, alright? The secret's out, I know, congrats, and condolences, whichever you'd prefer because I know how you are buddy, but they're here, and I'm not letting you torture yourself, understood?”

Matt winced, “You never had a problem with mutants, I- didn't know that when we first ended up as roommates.”

“Yeah well, how many friends, classmates, girlfriends have you been witness to? And you still- didn't want me to know?”

Matt sighed as he felt his back start relaxing, Foggy never stopped soothing the aching muscles as he talked, “I just- you were my buddy, you liked me the way I was, just- normal.”

“Matt, I'm your buddy, I love you either way. Hell, how long have we shared a room?! I yeah can't even start thinking about this right now, I just- relax, I'm gonna help you get these back to a healthy state, but- I have a bad feeling they'll never work properly with how much the constant binding has messed them up.”

Matt snorted, “Good, never shoulda had them in the first place.”

Foggy was glaring, Matt could tell by the sudden slightly harsher grip of fingers as he dug in to the muscles of his shoulders, “Matt, you can't help what God gave you- you just work with what you have, isn't that something in that book of yours?”

Matt sighed, “Foggy-” he shifted as Foggy shifted onto the bed.

“Hey, I'm going to have to straddle you at some point to get pressure right, just- no homo or whatever kids are saying these days.”

Matt snorted, stilling at the feel of his wings shifting to brush heat, “I just mean, I need to stretch for a minute. And, I've got something else that might make that more difficult.”

Foggy shifted off the bed, “Sorry, go ahead.”

Matt shifted up wincing and bracing for pain as he tensed and spread his wings, he couldn't help the moan as at least 16 different joints popped in an oddly soothing cascade of relief, “Oh, thank god.”

Matt could have sworn he heard an 'amen' from Foggy as he shifted before feeling the small popping in his lower spine as he finally unwound his tail, “Holy- Matt, seriously? Don't just-”

“I just, tuck it around my waist most of the time, Foggy, I don't bind my tail, don't have to, it's easy to hide.”

Foggy snickered as he went to the mini fridge and came back with a bottle of cold water, “So, other than tucking and binding... any other things I should know about?”

Matt sighed as he brushed his hair back, “Sort of? They haven't really, developed or anything though, so- I could probably remove them but, dad gave me some worrying info about disbudding animals so I never really thought about it again. I just keep my hair shaggy to hide them.”

“Matt, those are freaking adorable,” Matt could feel the blush creep up, “Can I- are they sensitive?”

Matt froze at a finger brushing one small spike, “Sort of, kinda- they're kinda like a fingernail. They can be tender and sensitive like them anyway, still get some temperature and pressure information from them but it's not that much.” Matt shrugged, “They didn't even come in until- after the accident, figured they were just a, response to the stress or something.”

Foggy nudged his chin up, “Not going to lie, they look very handsome on you... not everyone can pull off horns, buddy.”

Matt snorted, fully intending to just flop back and hide in the blankets to catch up on some sleep, but Foggy caught him, “I'm fine, I just want to sleep-”

“Hey, still going through stretches first, come on, stay upright, or at least sleep on your stomach if you're at the point of ko-ing.”

Matt grumbled and shifted one wing out, wincing at the pull as it spread and snapped back to tuck against his back before doing it for the other one, “I'll stretch after sleep, I promise.”

Foggy grumbled, “We're going to be doing that every day after classes, you hear me?” Matt groaned, “None of that either, those... Matt you've already permanently-”

“Grounded myself?” Matt smiled as he shifted, flopping onto his pillow and shifting his blanket so his wings could lay on top of it, “That happened long ago, Foggy, just- useless now.”

Foggy threw his hands up as he grumbled, nudging Matt's wing, earning a grumble and a glare, “No more, alright Matt? I understand if you want to hide them from the world, but no more hurting yourself to do it, alright?”

Matt sighed, “No promises, Foggy... Oh, what wouldn't I believe?”

Foggy blinked then snorted, “Oh, Prof called in last minute and canceled, the TA had to hand out the assignment. He even remembered a braille one for you.”

Matt smiled, “I knew I liked that one.”

Foggy chuckled, “Was gonna see if you wanted some soup or something, but- it wasn't a headache, was it?”

Matt shook his head, then realized Foggy was on the other side of the room and his head was currently buried in his pillow, “No, Foggy, it was my wings.”

“Look, buddy, I know you don't want people to know, and I ain't saying a word. So, is 'headache' our code word or something?”

Matt laughed, “Sure, why not.”

-

They were drunk, happy, merrymaking, drunk. Foggy having gotten to the point of making Matt dizzy as he lead, “Can we sit down for a minute?”

“Sit, yeah, best ideas, Matt, I swear. Stairs,” Foggy was pointing as he led, leaning farther forward than he probably should have, warning how close they were as Matt's cane found them before setting down, resting a shoulder against the rail. “Getting the spins.”

Matt chuckled, “I had the spins 10 steps back, was waiting to get to a spot we could sit down.”

“Matt, buddy, yer supposed to tell me stuff like that.”

“Mhm,” Matt was in that dizzy/pleasant drunk phase, just happy grins and drifting thoughts. “Can't wait to get Nelson and Murdock started.”

“That's right! We are going to have the best damn-” Foggy's brain must have hopped a rail somewhere cause he just leaned over and smiled as his head hit Matt's shoulder, “Gonna be awesome. Gonna help all the people.”

“Make all the money,” Matt offered with a smile, turning toward where Foggy was nuzzling and humming. “I think it's time to head back, buddy. Last thing I need is to be dizzy and dragging your drunk ass back to the dorm. Might get arrested for kidnapping.”

“Nope, fully consenting to let Matthew Murdock drag my drunk ass anywhere he wants,” Foggy declared, finger raised and all before going back to nuzzling, “You're warm, buddy. Nice and warm and smell good, is that new cologne?”

“Not that I remember,” Matt laughed, “Unless you swapped the bottle with something that feels and smells the exact same as yesterday.”

Foggy mumbled, “Wasn't me-” before he started to go a bit lax, grumbling and yawning as Matt nudged him. “Said something about heading back?”

“Mhm, come on, buddy, nap time.”

“We are soon to be Esquire, we do not have nap times...”

“Sure, buddy, come on, upsy daisy.”

Foggy was and always will be a cuddly drunk that needs reminded of where they were going, Matt couldn't get the smile off his face, “So, how have the- headaches been?”

“And that sound means we are definitely done for the night,” Matt laughed as he grabbed for his key when Foggy couldn't even get his in the lock.

“Seriously though, how have you been feeling?”

Matt shrugged and he pushed the door shut behind them, “Alright, no major shooting pains or anything.”

“Good, need help getting out of your clothes?” Foggy blinked and flailed, “That came out wrong, brain why can't you think of 'binder'?”

“Cutting you off Nelson,” Matt laughed as he flopped onto his bed and shifted before sighing as his tail whipped around before stretching his arms out and pulling off his jacket and shirt. “I'm a big boy, Foggy, I can get out of my clothes, sorry binder, on my own.”

Matt blinked as the scent creeping in, the faintest, “Yeah you are,” making him blush and it was his mistake to lick his lips when he caught the taste. Arousal wasn't consent, arousal was only physical response to pleasant stimuli... “Matt?”

Matt blinked and jerked away from his train of thought, “Huh?”

Foggy's heart kept speeding up every time he tried to speak before he shook his head, “I was thinking, after we get outa this stress inducing institute, would you want to get an apartment together?”

Matt bit his lip, “I've actually been looking into this place... but it's only a one bedroom. Got a hell of a deal lined up on it.” Matt started pulling at his bindings, shifting and relaxing at the tension released, hearing Foggy sulking, “But then, we've been living out of 1 room for how long now?” Matt smiled as he heard the pitter patter in Foggy's chest spike with excitement, “Don't see much of a change, just more room for everything.”

Foggy bounced before pouncing on Matt, “I could kiss you buddy!”

Matt laughed and patted the arm around his shoulder. “I know, buddy.” Matt could hear that tempo against his ear as he turned to look up toward him, “Could, could it be a real kiss this time?”

Foggy froze at the hand on his arm before relaxing, “Any time, buddy.”

Matt hummed and turned at the kiss, moaning and relaxing as Foggy's coordination failed him about the time Matt's did, ending with a yip, “Off!”

“Oh my god, your wings, I'm sorry,” Foggy shifted back, straddling him.

“Not my wings, off, off I landed on my tail wrong.” Matt winced as he rubbed at the base of his spine and tried to get the pissed off nerves to relax.

Foggy snorted, “Wasn't intending for your ass to be the one that was sore tonight...”

Matt laughed as he shifted to lay back correctly, “I'll have you know, I'm a gentleman... And I've heard you are too. What was it, three dates?”

“Yeah, well, how many times have we been out?”

Matt smirked, “So many more than that- I think we're past due,” he tugged at Foggy's shirt.

“But, your tail, your wings.”

“Shut up and get over here. Make them feel better.”

Foggy moaned as he shifted up, “Alright, everything still good?”

Matt rolled his eyes, “Yeah, Nelson, everything's still good.”

“Good, now, where were we?”

Matt smiled as he pulled him down, “About here,” and kissed him.

Foggy moaned and shifted, then yipped and pulled back, “Murdock-”

“It's my tail, relax.”

“How flexible is that thing?”

Matt smiled as he shifted his tail against the seam of Foggy's pants before shifting to pluck at the waist band. “Very.”

“You spoil me, you know that?”

Matt chuckled, “I believe we were getting to the good parts.”

“Right, good parts.”

-

Season 1

Foggy trudged in, take out bag in hand, as he threw his keys at the bowl and set his messenger bag on the floor next to the door, “Honey I'm hoooome.” He grumbled as he shucked his jacket off one arm at a time before half throwing it at the hook and grumbled to the island, “Of course Matt's not here... Been weeks since I've been able to snuggle my hubby in our bed. Nah, Murdock's gotta be all dark and brooding and mysterious and sneak in once I'm so deep asleep I don't even remember when I curled up with him... And he's just,” Foggy shook the dark thought of him having an affair, Matt didn't play games like that, he would tell you, he always let down the girls that he had been dating before they got together, easy, still heartbreaking sometimes... but most of them were a mutual feeling, easy going, understanding, though those were few and far between that Matt initiated the break up, usually they beat him to it. But he hadn't been living with any of those, he'd been living with Foggy for years, even before they got together. Foggy shook his head and grabbed the container of dumplings and sauce before grabbing the other two cartons out of the bag and heading for the couch. “Murdock, I'm eating my greasy Chinese on your damn couch, and not using coasters,” Foggy half grumbled, smirking at the annoyed look Matt would have given him the moment he heard something hit the table that wasn't cushioned by a coaster. He never did figure out how Matt pulled that trick off. “Better not be Karen... Yeah, she's awesome, and hot, like, waaaay outa my league hot, but Matt would have a shot with her. Hell, she's just like the girls he use to date. Strong, outspoken, didn't give a shit about what anyone said... Fuck, don't let it be Karen. That's like the biggest cliché out there, seriously the secretary? Sorry assistant, yeah if anything Karen is the best most awesome assistant out there...” Foggy grumbled as he plopped a dumpling into sauce before chewing on it. “He's probably at his 'thing' blowing off steam. Has been a rough couple weeks... Hasn't even been able to get a good stretching in other than when he gets into bed,” Foggy blinked as a lightbulb went off, “That little shit, he better not be trying to-” He grabbed his phone and hit Matt's number, grumbling and hanging up when it went to voicemail instantly. “Fuck...”

Foggy decided suddenly that his food needed alcohol with it... He grabbed a beer as he looked through his phone and hit Karen's number. His heart kept dropping until, “Hey, Foggy, what's up? Leave something at the office again?”

Foggy sighed in relief, “No, just- home alone, chowing down on Chinese, Matt took off god only knows where again. Was wondering if he was at the office or something.”

“Nope, haven't seen him, I'm still just sorting files into actual cabinets, now that we have some.”

Foggy chuckled, “Sounds like a blast.”

“Oh, it is, I can't think of any better way to spend my Friday night.” Foggy winced at the metal screeching on the other end of the line, “Ouch, okay, don't use that drawer, Matt will freak.”

Foggy snickered, “Yeah, you already figured out Matt's a bit sound sensitive.”

“Oh, it's so obvious.”

“Do us all a favor?”

“There is now a big post it note saying 'Do not open',” Karen giggled as Foggy heard the slap of her hand, “Ow.”

“Don't hurt yourself, we don't have the income for workman's comp.”

“What hurt? Who hurt? Not me.”

“Thanks Karen, you are the best.”

“So I've been saying, so, what's the real reason you called?”

Foggy sighed, “Don't take it personal...”

“Oh, Foggy, look if this is about the perfume incident, I already trashed that. Didn't realize Matt would have that strong a reaction, it's just some flowery/fruity scent.”

“No- thanks for the consideration, but no, not that. It's just, Matt hasn't been coming home lately, after work.”

“And-” Karen slammed a drawer hard enough Foggy winced.

“Look, if we were back in college you'd be the absolute exact type he would be asking out, that's all I'm saying about it, because I already know you know we're together. I just- hearing you, and him being AWOL just, kinda helped my worried brain.”

“Ah, well I am very much single, and looking, but I'm not that type of bitch, Foggy. I wouldn't swoop him from you. You two are... honestly you two are the best damn thing that I think I've ever had happen in my life at this point. So, I'll keep my ear to the ground and let you know if I hear anything.”

“Thanks Karen, for, understanding and not taking that personal.”

“Oh, there's a little bit of 'personal' here, Foggy, if I catch on he's cheating there will be Hell to pay.”

Foggy smirked, “Have I ever told you you're the best?”

“A few times, let me know when he gets home.”

“Yeah, I'll keep you updated.”

Foggy smiled as he drank most of his beer and went back to his Chinese. He grumbled at the creak of the door opening some time later, humming in confusion at the familiar sound of keys in the bowl and snap of a cane being folded, “So, where've you been?”

“Just- needed to think for awhile, took a walk.” Foggy smirked the moment Matt seemed to turn and look toward the coffee table, “I live with a heathen... You didn't use coasters, did you?”

“One day, you are going to tell me the secret to how you do that,” Foggy mumbled, dragging himself out of the half sleep he'd fallen into from a full stomach and one too many beers. Foggy took a glance and saw the gym bag slung over his boyfriend's shoulder, “Blowing off steam?”

“Yeah, just- everything's been, stressful.”

“Come here,” he waved a hand at him, earning a glare and huff before Matt stomped over to start cleaning up the coffee table. “Matt, please, come here.”

Matt continued grabbing the containers, throwing them away and grabbing a beer for himself before flopping down next to Foggy and flapping a coaster at him, earning an eye roll before setting it under the beer he hadn't even opened. “What's going on, Foggy? You only wage this type of war when you're pissed at me.”

“Oh, the whole, not coming home until 3am comes to mind. Come on Matt what is going on?”

Matt winced, flinching when Foggy refused to let him rest his head on his shoulder, “Just, it's been stressful, I just- don't want to redirect that onto you so- I destress before I come home.”

“Mhm, Matt, I literally called Karen thinking you were having an affair with her...”

Matt jerked back and gaped, “Why?”

“Just, not coming home until I'm out, disappearing, claiming you need to do something then not coming home until god knows when. And don't start with the don't blaspheme right now... Because right now, I was fearing worse. Have been fearing worse. Alright?”

Matt winced, “No, it's, no, I'd never- I'm a one partner guy, and that partner is you.”

“Alright, then the other side of that coin is... Please for the love of all that is holy, tell me you haven't been trying to fly! Because that would be worse.”

“Worse, than cheating?”

“Yeah, cheating just gets you kicked out or dumped, flying could get you killed Murdock! You- look, I get it, it's why we've got a roof access, I mean, hell I know I'd want to have a real open air place to stretch if I had a set myself but- You can't try that, Matt, one little thing, one and- so many injuries.”

Matt's eyes were darting, Foggy's eyes narrowed, it was a tell for when his partner was trying to think of something, “I haven't been, stretching or trying to fly I- okay, some stretching but not, not like that.”

“Matt, your wings, they're- stunted, severely, I mean, I don't even think they would have been big enough for actual flight even when you were a kid. And now? They're a hazard if you try to fly on them! At best it'd be... it wouldn't even be a controlled fall.”

Matt snorted and nodded, “You're not wrong, they wouldn't be useful, not unless I had no choice.”

“Then what the hell is going on?”

Matt sighed, “I've been, trying to get some information- for the Union Allied thing.”

“Matt, are you insane? Doing that ALONE?!”

Matt winced, “Foggy, listen.”

“No, does Karen know?”

Matt winced again, “No, Foggy, I have used some of her leads but-”

“Matt, you're going to get yourself killed!”

“Foggy, listen. What's the last thing you want a witness that's scared to do? We have several, otherwise unknown, witnesses and informants in this, the biggest problem is, they can't risk being witnesses. Who better to get information-”

“Than a guy that can't see them.”

“Exactly. I mean, what am I going to do, describe what they sounded like? Or that their shoes squeaked? That their dog wouldn't shut the hell up while I was trying to get information?”

Foggy finally snorted, “That- you can't do that, Matt. You can't put yourself out there like that, it's too dangerous. And now with- this black mask guy out there. What if he's, not on our side? What if he's a merc or something, you know, most money makes the rules?”

“He's not, I know he's not,” Matt tensed before finally relaxing into Foggy's embrace.

“You can't know, Matt, there's no way we can know.”

Matt shuffled out of the hug, “I need to get outa this damn binder...”

Foggy groaned as he stretched, “And I need some real sleep, in a real bed, with my real boyfriend.”

“As apposed to your fake one?”

“Hey, batteries can only go so far, buddy, a man can not live on orgasm alone, interaction is required at least on occasion.” Foggy smiled at Matt's little blush as he shook his head, every time he saw it, he fell in love all over again.

-

Foggy was furious, he was standing over Karen's desk, eyes staring straight at the photo on the front page... Someone had actually gotten an image of the man in the mask, the 'Devil of Hell's Kitchen'. “Matt,” Foggy practically screamed, thank god Karen took an early lunch and they'd stayed behind or else she would be freaking out about Foggy snatching it up and stomped into Matt's office to a very confused duckling just blinking at him and tilting his head, “Explain something for me...” he threw down the paper, making Matt jump and reach out to tap at it. “What the fuck are your wings doing on the Devil's back?”

Matt was wide eyed, “Foggy, what do you mean?”

“Oh, don't start that shit right now. What are your wings doing on the Devil's back?”

“Foggy, I, don't know what you mean,” Matt was still rubbing his fingers across the page, grimacing as he rubbed his fingers together, trying to clear the feeling of ink off them, Foggy knows it from years of experience how much he hated the feel of newspapers.

“The Devil of Hell's Kitchen is what they're calling the man in the mask... He's got the same wings you do. There's no chance of that. No two mutants have the same mutation, they are always different. Sometimes slight similarities occur but they are always different.”

Matt rubbed his eyes, regretting it by the wince he did, “Foggy that's not true, I mean, hell if you look long enough you'll find two people with the same face. There has to be two people with the same mutation. I mean, ever heard of twins?”

“Matthew Michael Murdock,” Foggy was pissed, Matt's deer in the headlights look told him he understood exactly how pissed. “No one would have _your_ wings. Wings from years of, of torturing yourself by binding them, hiding them, years of cutting off the circulation to the point they're stunted and so severely undersized you can hide them under a shirt with or without binding.” Foggy was shaking, “Matt, you're blind... aren't you?”

Matt nodded, “Yes, Foggy, I'm blind.”

“How, how could you-” Foggy let out a pained laugh, “Do all that? Matt, he's a freaking urban ninja for fuck's sake. He- he does shit like jump off buildings, and- beat up cops.”

“They were crooked, Foggy.” Matt sighed, mumbling to himself, “Of course it was the one time my wings were out they caught me on camera.”

“Matt,” Matt's attention was full on him as he let out a whimper, “Why would you hide this from me? After- everything.”

“Foggy, I, I wanted to protect you.” Matt suddenly looked scared, “Foggy, can we please put a pin in this? Just, for now? Please?”

“Why, why not now? After all these, weeks, months of this, of not coming home until the sun starts showing up, of-”

“Because Karen's coming up the stairs. Please, Foggy.”

“How do you know that?!”

“Because, the wings aren't my only mutation- difference- whatever you wanted to call it. The accident caused one too. But, please, for now, please-” Matt's eyes darted to the door, making Foggy turn to see Karen cheerfully walk in, heading for her desk. “Can we talk about this later?”

Foggy was shaking, his eyes were watering as he nodded, “Karen, I'm leaving for the day.”

“Oh, everything alright?” She looked at him and eyed Matt.

“Not really, but I know the answer is a definite 'no' now.” Karen blinked before it dawned on her and she nodded while he grabbed his bag.

“Hit me up if you need a drinking buddy.”

Foggy laughed as he slammed the door on his way out, he needed a drink, preferably enough to forget the day...

-

Matt was pacing, after giving up on meditating long after getting home to an empty apartment, and not wanting to risk going out while Foggy was still justifiably pissed off. He blinked and smiled at the familiar chattering and giggling of a very drunken night as Karen and Foggy headed up the stairs. He panicked, grabbing for a hoodie Foggy had a bad habit of leaving in the chair and pulled it over his head, shifting and grumbling as his wings caught in it before he was able to tuck them away in time for the door to open, “Matt! There you are! You missed it, we drank the eel.” Matt was too busy grinning and internally grimacing at Foggy being cheerful, knowing it would crash down around him.

“I'm honestly glad I missed that part from the sound of things,” he was so use to being the more sober of the two, but this, was definitely new, and not in a good way to him. Stone sober, two drunken giggling friends, and a serious bomb he had no clue when is going to go off.

“Matt freaks out when I don't use coasters, so make sure to use them.” Matt sighed and closed his eyes as Foggy headed for the fridge, passing off a beer to Karen. “It's like he's got some 6th sense about it.”

Karen stumbled, giggling, “He didn't give me any trouble about coasters when I stayed over when we met.”

“That's cause you were a guest, didn't know the rules.” Foggy flailed a coast at Matt, earning an eye roll while Karen giggle and nearly spilled her beer.

“He can't see you being childissssh Foggy.”

“Oh he always knows, told you, 6th sense.”

“Foggy you've had enough.”

Foggy flailed when his beer was suddenly not on the table, jumping up, “Hey, no give that back!”

“It's time to start sobering up. Karen, I hate to do this but- can I call you a cab home?” Matt's eyes were narrowing at how sudden Karen's demeanor changed to stiff back and much more put together that when she first entered.

“Foggy, you want me to head home yet?”

Foggy shook his head, “Not really, wanna keep the party goin' but should head back, we all gotta be in at the office tomorrow. It'll be alright, Karen. Thanks for the company.”

Karen nodded as she hugged Foggy and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “Call me.”

“Will do,” Foggy mumbled as he raised a hand but didn't risk walking her to the door while Matt saw her out. “Course I end up with the guy with all the secrets. Whole wounded duck thing, big old doe eyes, brooding Catholic...”

Karen giggled as she leaned on Matt, “Don't take it personally, he's just- venting, he's just, whatever's going on- you better not break his heart you hear me?”

Matt sighed, “I think I already have.”

Karen snorted and shook her head as the taxi pulled up, “It's Foggy, let him rant, he'll wear himself out and then he'll be up for negotiations.”

Matt snickered, “You going to be okay?”

“I'm fine, Matt. A good night with a good friend. Kinda sucked that it couldn't be the Three Musketeers but, I'll take it.”

Matt snorted, “You are honestly not calling us that...”

“Yep,” Karen grinned as she pulled the door shut. “Night Matt.”

Matt shook his head as the cab pulled away, “Night Karen.”

He suddenly had the desire to have backup as he headed upstairs, inching the door open and frowning as he heard the tell tale deep breathing and stead slower heart-rate. Foggy was passed out on the couch, probably been out since they left Karen's range of hearing. He couldn't bring himself to wake him up. Instead he tucked him in, risking a pillow under his head, but he got no sign of wakefulness so he let him be and headed to bed himself. He'd need the rest for the bomb diffusion.

Matt jerked awake at the sudden crashing sound, “Goddamnit!”

He shuffled out of the bedroom, rubbing his eyes and a little disoriented, “Foggy, don't blaspheme.”

“Where the fuck did you put the damn Tylenol?”

“Bathroom cabinet, where it's always been.” Matt grumbled as he shuffled toward the kitchen.

“No, Matt, I broke a dish, don't-” Foggy's warning died as Matt reached down to pick up a chunk off of the floor. “You can see it?”

Matt shook his head, “No, Foggy, I'm blind, I can't, I can't see. Remember?”

Foggy winced, rubbing his eyes and trying to shift forward to head for the bathroom and winced, “Shit.”

“Foggy don't move, hold on.” Matt bounced around the broken glass to swing a hand under Foggy's leg, “Don't put your weight on it. It's a large piece.”

“Must still be buzzing, can't feel anything accept the pounding in my damn head.”

“Which is why I'm warning you, you will bleed worse if you step down.”

Foggy grumbled then yipped when Matt _picked him up_ to set him on the counter, “Jesus Christ.”

“Foggy it's too early, just hold still and stop with that.”

“Matt, you know where the glass is?”

“Yes, Foggy, just, still waking up, don't break my concentration and don't get off that counter until I bandage your foot. This is gonna sting.” Foggy flinched at the pulling sensation but otherwise didn't quite feel anything else until Matt shoved a towel against his foot. “Just hold that there for a minute while I get something to bandage it.”

Foggy sighed as he leaned back against the cabinet, “How is it I'm the sighted one and you're the one taking care of me?”

Matt shrugged as he picked his way back through the shards to get the kit. “I just- do?”

Foggy was grumbling, “How does he do it?”

“I can hear it, Foggy,” Matt called as he finally found the bottle before grabbing the kit.

“From all the way over there?”

Matt shrugged, “I know you, your heartbeat, your scent, your- I know it's you the moment you get to the building. I can, 'see' you the moment I concentrate and try to listen for you. I can, tell when you reach out when you wake up and don't want to wake me up after a rough night or a bad dream or- after I get home for the night.”

“But your eyes, don't work, but you can, what, map out the world?”

Matt snorted, “This is gonna sting,” he waved a cotton ball loaded with rubbing alcohol before his head tilted, “Hold on, there's still a shard in there. Tweezers,” Matt shifted to search the kit before grabbing them. “Hold still.”

“Whoa wait, hold on.”

“Foggy, trust me, a shard of glass in your foot is painful as hell and torture, plus it breeds infection if left in there. Just, hold still.” Matt pressed the side of the wound, snorting to clear his nose of the scent of blood before reaching and grabbing the shard, smiling when he held it up, “It was larger than you thought. See?”

Foggy's jaw was hanging open, his head kept shifting as he watched Matt set the tweezers aside and then wincing when he went back to cleaning and wrapping the wound. “Matt, how could you know exactly where that was and knew exactly where to grab for it?”

Matt bit his lip, “Just try to keep it dry, and clean. I'll let you know if I smell anything trying to take root.”

“Murdock, how- how are you able to do all this?”

Matt shrugged, “I just, hear it, feel it... It's, really difficult to explain. I guess it would sort of be like an impressionist painting. The way different parts, depths come together and just- give me a physical image of the world.”

Foggy was flailing, Matt couldn't help but smirk as he started cleaning up the glass, “You just, your other senses show you the world?”

“Yep,” Matt shrugged at him as he got the worst of the pieces up, “Just, stay put for another minute, there's a lot of shattered bits around.”

Foggy frowned, eyes boring into Matt's head as he grabbed the vacuum. “So, if I said I was wearing a bright green set of boxers?”

“You're lying,” Matt called over the low roar of the vacuum as he cleaned up. “Might still be waking up but I know you're lying.”

“How?”

Matt finally took one last sweep of the kitchen floor, head tilting as he tapped his foot down. “Because you wear briefs.”

“Okay, so you were going by experience. How do you know I didn't want to surprise you?”

Matt rolled his eyes, “Because you would be wearing less than briefs if you wanted to, plus your heart-rate skyrocketed when you said it. You were lying.”

Foggy glared at Matt's hand when he offered to help him down, “That's how you knew Karen was innocent... She wasn't lying.”

Matt nodded, hand slowly pulling back, “Yes, Foggy, I knew she was telling the truth.”

“Because you listened to her heart.”

Matt winced, “It's, not exactly something I can always control, Foggy. Sometimes, everything just, crashes down and keeps getting louder and I just can't keep it tuned out.”

Foggy nodded, “So, that's what those real headache days were about... Sensory overload.”

Matt sighed and nodded, “Sometimes it just- grates.”

“Okay, so, basically you're a bat-man.”

Matt groaned, “I'm really starting to regret making sure you didn't do more than cut your foot.”

“Well, it's true, bats use echolocation, that's what you use.”

“I use, more than just sound. It's, everything. It's, a constantly changing image in my head. The change in temperature, the scent wafting off, it's like it's all- just, a world on fire.”

Foggy flailed, “How did you keep this from me?!”

Matt winced, “Foggy, I've- kept it from everyone, my entire life, I've done nothing but try to be normal... it just- never seemed to work. You finding out about my, mutation, and then I just, I couldn't just sit and hear what I hear, night after night and- not do anything about it.”

Foggy sighed, “Matt, this is a lot to deal with, but, you can't be the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. It's, Matt, everything, Everything will be destroyed if you get found out.”

Matt shook his head, “It won't happen, Foggy.”

“Matt, it's not just you here, it's me too. The firm, Karen, every case we've ever been involved with, under fire if not completely dismissed. Not to mention we're both disbarred.”

“Foggy, you're not an accessory, up until now you were completely unaware.”

“How many times have we argued that to keep our clients out of jail, hm?”

Matt sighed, “You've got nothing to do with the- man in the mask...”

“I'm just his boyfriend, and business partner, and roommate... God, Matt we were talking about-” Foggy winced, “Spouses are safe, they can't testify against their partners.”

“I'm not asking you, Foggy, and I'm not accepting. If something does happen, I want you to say what you need to keep yourself out of it.”

“Matt, shut up and listen... A spouse can not testify against their partner.”

“Foggy, if this goes belly up,” Matt growled and paced, “Let's just say if it goes that way, there won't be a trial, do you understand that? So, no, I won't ask, and I'm not accepting. I'm not going to tether you to this, just- please, move forward with your life, and career and just- forget you ever knew the Devil of Hell's Kitchen.” Foggy couldn't help himself as he wiped his eyes. “You're crying...”

He chuckled at Matt's statement, “What gave it away?”

“Tears, I smell and taste tears.”

“Oh, wise vigilante, can you tell me why I'm crying?”

“Because I messed up, everything, because I can't just, listen and not do something about all the screams and crying and-”

“Because you're a giant idiot with a martyr complex so large I'm surprised you aren't listed in that book of yours. And because I've already made up my mind. I'm not leaving you alone in this.” Matt froze as Foggy stepped up to hug him, “Nelson and Murdock until the end, buddy.”

Matt seemed to relax, hugging back as his wings wrapped them, Foggy just grinned and snuggled into it, “You like when I do this.”

“Mhm, warm soft hug. And it lets me know you're wings still have mobility, which, stretching time, let's go.”

“Foggy, come on,” Matt groaned as he was tugged toward the bedroom, “I just woke up and had to listen to the damn vacuum and clean up broke glass.”

“Matt, you'll like this exercise, I guarantee it.”

Matt blinked, tilting his head as Foggy dug under the bed for something, “Foggy?”

“Yes, dear?”

“What are you planning?”

“Come here, buddy,” Foggy tugged him to straddle him, “Ease down onto your legs. We're going to check your strength and stamina.”

Matt sighed, shifting to settle on him then frown at Foggy lashed his calves to his thighs, “What are you doing?”

“Shhhh, just give me a minute to set the mood,” Matt snorted and rolled his eyes, setting his hand on either side of Foggy's head.

“I can't really move, Foggy, isn't that the opposite?”

“Shush,” Foggy pulled the other binding tight enough Matt glared for a minute before shifting it to make sure the knot loosened enough to allow him circulation. “Now, stretch.”

Matt shifted, able to move his legs independently but unable to kneel upright, “Foggy, what are you getting at with this?”

Foggy snapped, making Matt's head snap to the sound, “I knew I forgot something.” Matt's wings went limp as he groaned when Foggy's hand slid into his boxers, “Now, let's see here,” Matt was trying to cant into the grip, whining when he couldn't thrust before Foggy's hand went still, merely wrapping the head of him. “Now, stretch.”

“Fuck, Foggy,” Matt whined, shifting but Foggy wouldn't let him thrust into his gripping hand. “Please?”

Foggy licked his lips as he watched Matt twitching in his grip, “How sensitive are you? Could you get off on just this?”

Matt let out an unsteady breath, “If, you grip a little tighter, your pulse... I probably could.”

“Seriously?” Foggy smiled as he leaned up, slipping his hand up until just his pinky circled the head as he kissed him. “Then why beg? Hm? Gotta admit, pretty big turn on, getting you off just by holding you.”

“Foggy, if you don't stop teasing me, I just might-”

“Someone have a humiliation kink?”

“It's not- it's, arousal, you're getting hard, I can feel you, the temperature, the blood flow changing, the flesh pressing against my crotch. It's-”

“You can get off on arousal?”

Matt whimpered, “It, wouldn't be the first time.”

“Fuck, that's so hot...”

Matt snorted then whined, “Tell that to my first girlfriend... better yet don't, that one didn't end well.”

Foggy rolled his eyes, “First one never goes well.”

Matt shook his head then whined when Foggy gave him a free stroke, “Foggy, please.”

“You are supposed to be stretching your wings, Matt. Now, stretch.”

Matt growled as he shifted, his wings snapping open, “I'm stretching, please, Foggy.”

“Wrong stretching, buddy. Give them a flap.”

Matt's eyes always had a bit of haze to them, the damage the cause of scarring, but now they drooped and didn't even bother opening back up as Foggy smiled. “Foggy, if I do that, I'm going to get off.”

“Oh? Why's that?”

“The air. The temperature change, cold, fingers, hands, running over my body. Please, Foggy.”

“Then you should start sooner, because you're not getting off until you stretch them properly.”

Matt whined as his wings stretched upward, tensing and gasping as he snapped them back down, shaking as Foggy smiled at the goosebumps instantly spreading. “Foggy, please, I won't- make it through another one.”

“Matt, you are so fucking hot, you know that?” Matt panted, jaw tense as if attempting to hold it off, “This time, harder, try to lift yourself up.”

Matt's eyes snapped open, darting, “It, won't work how you think it will. There isn't enough-”

“Do it, Matt,” Foggy shushed him with a kiss, grinning when his wings instantly snapped up high, spreading. “It's so hot. I swear, you are the reason I've got a wing kink, you know that?”

Matt tried to chuckle and ended up moaning, “Why am I not surprised?”

“Because I gotta make sure you take care of them, now. Flap.”

Matt whined before snapping his wings down and gasping, taking deep breathes as he fell forward, “Please, just, undo my legs, please.”

“Nope, here I thought you said you couldn't go another round.”

“Hanging on by the skin of my teeth here, Fog- please stop teasing me.”

“I can't wait until we get your wings stronger,” Foggy was kissing at his neck before he helped him settle back on his knees, “I wanted to give you a heads up before trying it, so I figured a mock up would be enjoyable.”

“What are you planning?”

Foggy's hands ran up his legs, “Again.”

Matt's wings were shaky as they raised up, “Foggy-”

“Try to lift yourself this time.”

Matt nodded as he spread his wings, shifting them until the air felt right and snapping them down while keeping them spread, the gust of air hit him like thousands of teasing fingers, the loss of body heat against his crotch and legs made him gasp before the impact of that hardened flesh back against him and the vibrations from landing on the bed was all just enough to push him over the edge.

“Fuck me, Matt, that was-”

Matt was panting and shaking, “Foggy, I'm cold.”

“Right, shit, here.” Matt was turned, smiling when Foggy carefully tucked his limp wing against his back before he felt the tension on his legs being released, “Here we go,” Matt winced at the cool blanket pulled over them, humming at Foggy's warmth joining in, “Matt, that was so fucking hot, you know that?”

Matt smirked, “Actually it was really cold...”

“Yeah, sorry, I- didn't realize how sensitive you were to temperature.”

Matt chuckled, “So, this, fantasy, goal, whatever, you have. You want me riding you using only my wings, is that it?”

Foggy sighed, “I am only a simple man-”

“With simple desires?”

“Gotta admit though, kinda hot, you able to get off so easily.”

Matt snorted, “Say that one of these days you want to go at it and forget why I concentrate on you during foreplay.”

Foggy winced, “Must get pretty, painful-”

Matt nodded, “It can.”

“You're gonna hate me in the morning...”

“No I'm not,” Matt mumbled as he snuggled up to the heat.

“You will when you realize I just threw a fresh clean blanket on us after getting spunk all over us and not washing up first.”

“Foggy, I may grumble and complain, but I'm never going to hate you.”

“Still, grumpy Murdock, just remember that when he shows up tomorrow.”

Matt blinked and turned to smack his clock, “The time is- 10:45 a.m” “Don't we have work today?”

“Fuck work, pretty sure Karen's taking a day off too.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

-

Post Season 3

Foggy was watching Matt, his eyes kept darting over to him as he shifted, trying to get comfortable. He let out a sigh, making Matt look up toward him, “You need to tell her,” he whispered as he shifted papers out of his way. Case closed, Fisk behind bars, the fake devil rendered harmless- trapped in a cell with if he's lucky about 50% of the ability to move without some form of assistance- “She should know.” Matt was dropping his head, before shaking it. “We almost lost you, we thought we had lost you, we did lose you,” Foggy could barely keep his voice low and steady. “It wasn't just me, Matt, it was her too.”

Matt seemed to have enough, standing suddenly to stomp over and hug Foggy, “I'm sorry, Foggy.”

Karen had been searching for something when she saw Matt moving, “Everything alright?”

“Matt, she already knows about Daredevil, stop putting yourself in pain,” Foggy muttered against his shoulder. “Tell her, so you can stay here and stretch and keep working because I know you, workaholic bastard that you are.”

Matt smirked, nodding, “Actually, just, I've been a little sore and Foggy's been worried.”

“Oh, well yeah, taking a beating like that- Jeez, Matt you should be in the hospital.”

Foggy blinked, Matt smirked at the turn of his head toward Karen, “And whose idea was it to piss Fisk off enough to get him to attack her?”

Karen shuffled, “It would have worked.”

“What?” Matt pulled away, “Karen, Fisk isn't just dangerous, he's lethal.”

“There were Feds all over the place I would have been fine.”

“Karen, ALL of them were on his payroll. Everyone that was posted at that castle of his were.”

“Yeah, well if SOMEONE hadn't gone MIA like that I would have known about it...”

Foggy rubbed his eyes, “How did your admitting something turn into a big down argument about an asshole that will never see the light of day again?”

The two bickering parties froze and blinked at Foggy, before Matt winced and stepped back, “I'm sore, and I need to stretch, and- I'm, a mutant, so-”

Karen blinked, “So, stretch? Just- no mental manipulation and no memory surfing, got that Murdock?”

Foggy blinked, “Huh?” Matt was just as confused.

“You're like, telepathic, or an empath, right? Isn't that how you always figure out someone's not telling the truth or need help.”

Matt shook his head, “I honestly would not live with that mutation-”

“You barely live with your current one, Murdock,” Foggy muttered while glaring. “Just- out with it.”

Matt grumbled, “Remember when I said my grandmother use to say 'watch out for the Murdock boys, they've got the devil in them'? She was, speaking a little more literal. We have a mutation that's, it skips some generations but it goes back a long way.”

“Shut up, and get your binder off already, it's been way too long since you've stretched,” Foggy playfully tugged at his tie before getting his hands grabbed. “It's okay. We love you, Devil or no Devil. Personally I think Devil needs to take a holiday. A loooong holiday,” Foggy beamed at the shy grin on Matt's face.

“Foggy, I'm scarred, and not going to get half naked in the office. And stop with the glaring, I know you are.”

“You sure you're not empathic?”

“Yeah, it's just, a bunch of subtle things, but it's obvious...” Matt grunted and winced at the soft elbow, “I'm getting to it, Foggy. I- I have wings, and they're really hurting after the whole Fisk thing.”

Karen's heart-rate spiked, making him wince, “Matt, all this time, you've never once- it's alright, if you want I can close the blinds and lock the door.”

Foggy smiled, “See, Matt?”

Karen was already dropping the blinds, “I thought that pic was photoshopped, as crappy as it was... Why didn't you say anything?”

“Matt, hates them.”

Matt sighed, “I, I don't hate them anymore, Foggy's helped me with that. I just, guess I was ashamed of them. And since Daredevil was outed to have them, and Matt Murdock wasn't known about- I don't have a choice anymore.”

Karen hugged him on her way to the door, “I understand, but, we know and you're safe and you're loved. Now you just got less back problems,” Matt snorted and shook his head as he heard her put out a sign and lock the door. “Matt, I know where it comes from. I can understand why- but, you are as you are for a reason. Your father's strength, your mother's faith. Even though, that's what caused her- She couldn't see them, not then, when she was- She had her own demons she was contending with when you were born. But, no matter what happened she couldn't hurt her child, not her and Jack's, so she had to walk away. It was the only option they could find. Now, we know what it was, Postpartum wasn't well heard of then. And it can lead to- horrible things if not cared for. That was the only way she had to care for something practically unknown at the time. She left for your safety, Matt.”

Matt grumbled, “I'm more angry with her that, she never told me... I had to overhear her praying to know. All these years, she was there, and- lied.”

Foggy hugged him, “You didn't tell me that part about it!”

Matt leaned into it, “I forgot about it.”

Foggy grumbled as he nudged Matt away, “Come on, let's get you out of that binding. Karen's seen it before I'm sure.”

Karen shrugged, “Hey, seen all sorts of chests, ain't nothing special.”

Foggy 'ah ha'd when he found what he was looking for, “And you were complaining about me keeping one of these in here after our first winter.”

Matt's nose crinkled as he pulled off his shirt as Foggy waved the dusty, stale smelling hoodie at him. “Well, beggars and choosers I guess.” Matt shifted as he pulled the binding loose and groaned as he stretched.

Karen planted herself in front of the sharp edges of the file cabinet the moment she saw Matt stretch and reach over the desk tentatively but knowingly as he settled his wings back against his back. “So, yeah, I- can definitely see the conflict...”

Matt nodded, “Yeah, they aren't the only thing.”

Foggy reached out and hugged him, “Our gain.”

Karen was nodding as she reached to hug them both, “Totally our gain. So, order in pizza? I'll head to the corner for some beer while we wait? And discussion of how we're going to commemorate this-” Matt heard the snap of pages, smiling, “I was thinking, lamination, hang it on the wall by the door.”

“That's Fisk's sentencing, isn't it?”

Karen flapped the page, “Of course. Was thinking of putting it up in Spanish as well. My translation skills aren't up to court level status, but I figured with a bit of help I could have it done.” Matt froze at the kiss on his cheek, “And I'm getting a braille copy, to hang in your office, so whenever you think about losing hope, you get the reminder that nothing is a lost cause.”

Matt shook his head, “You forgot the topcoat on your lipstick, again.”

Foggy snickered as he helped wipe it off while Karen ranted about it being a new brand. “The more you know,” Foggy mumbled, getting Matt to chuckle as Karen continued on ranting about the annoyance of figuring out if a product was for you. “I love you, you absolutely annoying, coaster fanatic...”

Matt laughed so loud and so hard, Karen covered the receiver on the phone to blink at him, “Everything alright?”

“Normal, everyday thing- I told Matt the truth and he laughs at it.”

Matt gaped and glared, “And I love you, you godless heathen. You and your annoying drunken snoring-”

“Alright, Murdock, you made your point...”

“And your inhuman ability to clear a room after one too many burritos-”

“I said enough, damnit!”

Karen laughed as she went back to the ordering, “And can you be sure there's plates, please? Bit of a small office party, thanks.”

“And your strong willed, inability to give up on me, no matter what.”

Foggy nearly repeated himself again before stopping and smiling, “Right back at you, buddy, right back at you,” he held on tight and smiled at the wings folding around them both.

“I'm heading out for beer, anything else while I'm out?”

Foggy smiled and looked at Matt's smiling face, “I think we have everything we need.”


End file.
